The last of us left me behind
by Volantazo
Summary: Stories that happens inside the gaps of the game. Changes in the David battle and a final conflict between Joel and Ellie. One of them will leave, who and why, then the fate will play around them again.
1. Searching for clothes

I do not own anything of The last of us.

It has been five days since the death of Tess, I haven't mentioned anything about her, as i was told. She was a great woman, Joel respected her, appreciated her. Joel, he always have been grim, but since then he's been worse. I see a good man deep inside him, in his core, the life has treated him bad, as everyone. I have softened him just a bit, even i got him spit a short laugh with a joke from my pun book. When I take that book I always remember Riley. I miss her. Yesterday we met Bill, not a very nice guy but Joel is his friend and helped us out. The mission was awesome, as always Joel makes it seem easy. He walks so silently and takes down every one without letting them know what's happening. Doesn't let me help him, he says it's too dangerous even with me being immune. We found a bow and arrows. Man that was impressive, he doesn't miss. Every time bullseye, unexpected infected: quick aim and bullseye, far away infected: deep breath and bullseye, lots of infected: throws a bottle and then a molotov, if anyone escapes, bullseye. He doesn't jerk around either, do what has to be done and continues. Bill always laugh and rejoice when Joel grabs the bow. I envy Joel. He is so cool. I wish he were my father. Today i could make fun of him, just make him uncomfortable with an erotic magazine from bills place,that was funny. Now I am by his side, he tells me to sleep.

"I´m not even tired" Maybe it's not the time, but I'm gonna ask. "Where did you learn to use a bow like that? it was amazing, it's not like point and shoot, i guess..."

He looks at me for a second, and with a head movement return his eyes to the road. "Learned from my father, he was in that kind of stuff, hunting. He took Tommy and me a dozen of times to hunt with him. I never was good at it."

"Are you kidding me?" he gave me another quick look. "You didn't miss one! If every man had your skill the infection would have ended years ago!" I look through the copilot window and I say with a bored voice: "Pfff, Wish i could do something like that."

"Thank you for the compliment" his voice got soft and doubtful. "Maybe I...ah, teach you how to use it."

"Really!?" I am excited. He looks at me more, this time before looking again the road. "I want to, I really want to. Maybe i could be some help".

His voice immediately turns hard and rude. "No, you are not gonna fire arrows at anyone, if I teach you it's for hunting, not for killing. Rabbits, deers and such."

I use a sarcastic tone to relax him. "What? you don't let me pierce bad motherfuckers and infected but you want me to kill bunnies and Bambi's family? You're a horrible man."

"Mmmhmm, you sound reasonable if you put it that way." he softened his tone again. "Anyway, how do you know who is Bambi, that's too old story for you to know."

"I read it. The fucking military school had a library, spend a lot of time in there. Fucking sad story, hate it."

"So you like to read, uh?"

"Well yeah. It depends on the book."

"Reading is good, it's an exercise to the mind, keeps you sharp." He began a new sentence, but as he realized what he was saying he lowered his voice to a mere whisper. "She liked reading to."

"Who?" I asked without thinking. His tone went back dark.

"No one"

"Okay." the conversation ended, the silence fell between us as if a hundred meters existed from each other seat. Some minutes passed, and i can hear him moving on his seat, trying getting comfortable. As we pass through the forest i see a little town. Words come out of my mouth without my permission. "Oh man, wish i could wash myself."

"What?"

"Uh? Nothing, just thinking."

"What bothers you?"

"It just..., we have been running, fighting, kinda things for a while. I haven't changed my clothes, and i am all sweaty, makes me feel dirty, but I understand that we can't stop, too dangerous." He reduces the speed and parks the car near the entrance of the town, it's just ten or twelve houses, just one street, the middle of the forest, little fucking creepy if you ask me.

"I'll go to take a look, stay in the car and don't make any noise." As always he so grim.

"I can go with you." I tell almost in a beg.

"Wait here until I clean the area, Ellie."

"But" he stops me.

"We'll talk about this later." he closes the door and leaves silently. He always does that.

Twenty minutes later he comes walking, so I get out the car and approach to him, he'll tell me what to do, as always.

"The houses and the surroundings are clear, get your things and settle a camp inside one of the houses, then search for some clothes; I'll check again the area."

"Yes sir." I respond with monotone voice.

"Hey" he says with reproach tone.

"What!?" I answer angry.

He stares at me, with that stupid and stoic face. "Nothing, just do what i told you".

"Agh, fuck."

He stares me as I leave, i don't see it, but I know.

After prepare a house with couple of rooms, I go to check the wardrobes trying to find something that fits me and that stayed clean. When I am on the third house I find something I can use. At first it was just normal trousers, jeans, T-shirts, etc. Not everything was great but some of them would do. After that, just searching for underwear, not to long until I found it. Normal stuff, fits, White almost everything, something pink over here and over there. And then found something rare. There are panties, but they are pretty thin, doesn't cover almost anything, but they are cute. A image cross my mind, Riley using this. I just blush from imagining it, it makes me feel hot.

"Ellie, I just prepared something you..." I jump out of my imagination and look at him. He stood at the door with confused face, one I didn't see before. He close his eyes for two seconds and open them again. Finally he closed his mouth and tried to regain composure. "Ellie, you should leave that were you found it, take other stuff and let's go."

I look at my hand and see the tiny black underwear. As a natural reaction I grab it tighter and hide it behind my back, even if it is too late for that. "Sure" I say not being at all convincing.

"Ellie, I am serious. Drop that." His voice was tired this time.

"Why?" I inquire almost shouting

"Ellie..."

"I asked fucking why?" My voice was turning in anger.

God, this girl is stubborn. While she enters in a house, I just go to check the surroundings to find the barrel that I saw when was dragging all the infected corpses just killed behind the last house. Found it, I stack some bricks and make a kind of oven with them, gather some wood and prepare a fire. Then make a platform over it. Found a lot of blue smaller barrels full of clean water, probably from rain, but to make it sure I've to boil it. Prepare the big barrel over the platform,

Fill it up with water and close the barrel. Then light up the oven and feed the fire, it's well built, since no much light gets out but it can breathe. Also it's positioned with good sights and the area has got some privacy, she'll like. A custom bath.

I go to the last house that see her get into. Get up the stair and walk while talking: "Ellie, I just prepared something you..." She has a thong in her hands. Long time ago I don't see one of those, and not half erotic as that. My mind blow for just a second and I couldn't elude the thought of Ellie wearing it. I close my eyes and got my center again.

"Ellie, you should leave that were you found it, take other stuff and let's go."

She hides it. "Sure." God, she wants to keep it, her face talks for her.

"Ellie, I am serious. Drop that." This might become a problem.

"Why?" she is getting nervous.

"Ellie..." I try to make her understand, but she shouts again.

"I asked fucking why?" This is gonna bring bad memories, last time I tried, was 21 years ago, ain't go well.

"I'll explain, but please, just calm down, after that, If you want to keep it, you can. Okay?" Not too much agree but I have to try to make her get into reason. I have only one shot, so let's go how it goes.

"Okay." she is cautious.

"Fuck, were I should begin?" She remains silent. "Shall we have a seat?"

"yeah" We sit next in the edge of a bed.

"You know that you are just a kid, right?" She was about answer with anger but I interrupt her. "Not talking about you behaviour, or your mind, hell as much as I know the concept of kid died long ago, the youth has been wiped out of the life of humanity. Not talking if you can kill or takin care of yourself I'm talking about your body, You are just a kid, you like it or not. Can you understand that?" She lowers his sight, her eyes vague for seconds, then she nods.

"I'm not your father Ellie, I cannot tell you what to wear o what to say, I'm here to keep you alive, and maintain you safe. The personal things, you have to decide them by yourself, but even if i don't have the authority to tell you what to do in these terms, you should listen my advice. So, would you?"

"Come on, don't get too pussy." She said with a confused smile. A laugh went out my mouth.

"Yeah. That is an... erotic underwear, as you can see. There is... nothing wrong with it..., but wearing an underwear like that might be.. uh, a sign that you... are predisposed to certain kind of... activities, that you are not prepared to maintain. It is dangerous to be a young girl like you these days, shit can happen and bad men would try to abuse you at the minimal possibility. Things like that underwear could make it even worse, so. If you want to keep it, do it, but as a gun, you have to know how to use it, because it is a dangerous item these days. A gun give you the capability of killing things, and that can be something you enjoy much, but it can make you an objective. More even an adorable and fighter girl these days is. So that's why. Now I'll let you decide, I'll be down, I've prepared something." She doesn't say anything.

I walk away, from now on it's not your problem Joel, you have done what you must. Damn girl.


	2. The bath and the bow

I do not own anything of The last of us.

CHAPTER 2

The water is boiling when I arrive at the improvised bath. Moving the barrel out of the hot spot of the oven and extinguishing the fire would make the water to cool down, in this night would not take too long. As I complete the job I wonder why am I doing this. Ah, for the girl. She is right, we have been a while without any stop, we can have a day free and rest.

While I wait, rise my head, see the stars, the moon, they are beautiful. Anyone looks up now, a memory of Sarah and me looking the sky from the porch invades me. I remember the cool beer in my hand, her blond hair shining and her blue eyes full opened, drinking the light of stars. An image of Ellie suddenly appears, and I get upset with myself.

"Hey Joel." The voice of the girl drags me out of mi thoughts. "What were you going to show me?" I don't say anything; just knock the barrel two times. "You wanted to show me a barrel?" She said in disbelieve.

"The barrel is filled with clean water, sterile, you can have a bath. Damn, might be the worst waste of resources I have ever made. While you are here I'll patrol around." She didn't say anything, just got closed to the barrel and look into it.

"I've never got a bath in a barrel." Her tone is serious, not disappointed.

"Get in there when the water gets warm and look at the sky, there's a beautiful night today." Before I realized she is undressing quickly, so I leave. I'll look for a towel. While I'm searching around I heard her.

"Waaaaaaaaaah"

"Ellie you're ok?" I run outside.

"This is fucking great! Oh man. I'll stay here forever."

"Fuck, Ellie. Don't shout like that." I can see her head and shoulders over the barrel. She is smiling and washing her hair. Got near. "Here, a towel." Without any more to say I start leaving to patrol.

"Joel, thank you."

The hot water is perfect, aaaaaaahhh. The sensation of fear, shame or anything like that,just ignored and got into the barrel. Far better thing that I expected, for sure. Hot bath, the greatest invent ever. Joel says something, I didn't listen.

"Here, a towel." As soon as he drops it he walks around.

"Joel, thank you." He is a rough man, but good without any doubt.

"Mhm." One of his usual answers, make me get on my nerves sometimes, but not now.

"Hey, don't go. Stay around."

"I thought you'll need privacy"

"Can you see though metal?" He doesn't answer. "Then it's alright, not much to show either." That makes me a little sad, but Joel just laughs low but long. "What?"

"Hahaha, oh Ellie." He sits on the ground, resting his back on the barrel. "Don't worry, they'll grow sooner than you think."

"I hope so…" My voice seems irritated.

"Why the fuck we always end talking about these things? Since you got that damn magazine. Don't wanna see you reading something like that again." A silence flows for a while.

"Will you teach me to use the bow?" A little of fear color my voice.

"Tomorrow, morning."

"You're not going to have a bath?" Now that I realize, I'm talking to someone, but I'm naked. Feels weird.

"I guess that I'll redo the all process when you finish. Not gonna enjoy the bath though."

"Why? It is great."

"Look at your size, look at mine, and then look at the barrel's."

"Yeah, it's gonna be funny watching you getting here." I laugh.

"Oh no baby girl, you are not going to be near, and sure you are not going to watch me in there." We both laugh. And a silence falls again.

"Joel." My tone changes, now serious. "I want to help, I don't want to use a gun, I want to have it and to know how to use it. If something happens would be able to help you, Joel. Don't like to be a burden. I know that I am, but I maybe a light one would be better." Joel remains silent for a minute.

"It's not you intentions or your capabilities what worries me, it's the fact that you are trying to prove to yourself that you are reliable. I don't know what happened to you in the past, but it's chasing you. That is dangerous 'cause you'll try to manage a situation out of your league sooner or later. You need to mature first. Killing someone ain't easy. Tomorrow, morning. I'll teach you bow aiming. I'm not talking about this anymore." He stands and leaves. A tear flows through my cheek.

Now bathed and wearing new clothes the world seems brighter. I leave the place and tell Joel the bath is free. He poured the water into an empty blue barrel and fills it again with a couple blue barrels that were near.

He starts a fire inside the bricks structure and looks at me.

"I've found one of those comics, left it on a table, in the kitchen. There are some food cans too. Have dinner." He continues feeding the fire.

"Right." I do what he says.

After a while passing pages of the comic without reading them, I stop thinking. Don't know what to feel about Joel. Just a man who has a job? A friend? A father? What is he to me? What am I to him? Don't know anything, just that he's everything I've got left.

After a while, I walk behind the houses and go stealthily next the bath place. He is already inside the barrel. The barrel just covers him until half of the torso. Now that I see him I realized that he is a muscular person. Thought that he was just big on his back and shoulders, but he is really strong. Mmm, I imagined him much more hairy, he is not, just a few on the chest, but not big deal.

When he ends of washing himself, he squats and rests his head in his arms that are supported by de edge of the barrel. I walk silently, not a sound coming from me. I'm gonna scare the crap outta of him.

"You shouldn't peek people like that, Ellie." Shit, he has super earing or something?

"HOW THE FUCK DID YOU KNOW?"

"Oh. I didn't. Just saying that every ten minutes. Didn't think that actually would work."

"You are a cheater." I said angrily.

"No, I'm not. Devil Knows better because being old than for being devil. And I'm kinda both."

"Bah, I hate you." I say as I get near the barrel and without permission I sit where he was when I was bathing.

"No you don't" He says peacefully as he takes his feet out of the barrel and gets supported by his arms and his hamstrings, watching the nocturne sky.

"How you know?"

"Cause I gave you the best bath in your life. Didn't I?" He looks at me and I nod. "No way you hate me. Never had warm water bath?"

"No, hot water were just for cooking and showers were pretty short and cold, not too often either."

"Mmhmm" there is that humming that he does again. "What did you decided about the thong?"

"Thong? That's how it's called?" He hums again. "Why dou you wanna know?"

"Curiosity."

"Not buying that."

"Just tell me." He sounds divided between annoyed and relaxed.

"I'm keeping it" I say with a bit of concern about how he would react.

"I hate you." Those words hurt me, even knowing that they are a joke.

"No you don't"

"How you know?" He gazes at me. I stare at him too.

"Because when I asked for a bath, you gave me this." I knocked the barrel. "No one makes the currently best bath of the world for someone hated." Silence appeared again.

"You certainly are becoming a devil, young one, but a devil." He says as he stands inside the barrel. "Okay, leave, I'm gonna step out."

"Here you have." I gave him a towel and I leave. I feel his glare in my back, don't know what kind of glare is, but sure it is intense.

She leaves. Don't like what she makes me feel. I'm not his father; I'm not responsible of her. Then why am I feeling this way? The soon I finish the job, the soon I'll get rid of her. No sentimental stuff. That shit makes you weak, and the weak gets killed.

When finally got to the house I see her in a room. Go back and jam the door. Check the windows, they are completely close. Everything is fine. Took one ham can and eat it. Last check and see she's reading the comic that I found for her.

"We'll rise as the sun does, don't waste bed rest."

"Okay." She obeys, I stay out of the room, going to sit on a sofa, but she calls me. "Joel, could you sleep nearby? I would feel safer."

"Mmmhmm. Have I a choice?" Her eyes are beging.

"Please." Fuck.

"Okay…" I drag the sofa into the room, and got laid. "Sleep." She nods.

A while pass until my vision blurs and fall in limbo.

_She runs, infected are after her. "Joel!" I can't reach her, they are too far away, can't save her. She screams. I'm moving to slow, my abdomen hurts, like if there were a hole. _

"_Ellie! HANG THERE! Ellie!" The sound of the flesh being torn, the shatter of the bones, the agony of drowning on her own blood. "NO!"_

"Joel! Wake up." I see her, she is alright, I can breathe finally with relieve. "You were having a nightmare." Her words makes echo in my head.

"I know, I'm fine." She grabs me by the shirt.

"Come here, you are cold." I can't think straight and I obey. Before I know I am sleeping again.

I wake up. The sun rays filters through wooden planks on the windows. I hear her breathe; she is sleeping, with her head on my shoulder and hugging my biceps. I don't know what to feel. I'm disgruntled, but at the same time I feel something beautiful inside. Maybe that annoys me, the fact that when the time comes I shall leave her in the hands of fireflies. I don't know if I want that, maybe that annoys me too, be attached to this girl. That makes me week. I feel hate to her as I think about it. Then she awakes, she looks at me with disoriented eyes, then gets his head accommodated again on my shoulder. I can't hate her.

"Hey baby girl, you wanna learn how to fire a bow? Then wake up." I retire my shoulder abruptly and stand up in order to reach the kitchen.

She twists in the sheets cursing. "Fuck, I wake up, but be gentle at least!"

"No more complaining. Eat" I throw a food can to her hands as she gets out the room.

An hour later we are in the forest near the houses. A dartboard founded in a garage is hanging a tree. Ellie has the bow in her hands, she is nervous.

"Calm down. Until you do you wont shoot."

"But I can't just tranquilize!"

"Why not?"

"Because it's not that simple. I don't have such a control."

"You are nervous because you think you're gonna fail. The fact is you are gonna fail, the first time, the second, and the third. You think everything depends on the first shoot. Think about this, it's just an arrow, and that is just a target. Think about it." Five minutes past as she talks.

"I'm ready"

"Then shoot"

She prepares an arrow, tenses the bow and let it go. She misses. She blows with deception.

"Aim again." She stares at me. I return the stare. "Grab another arrow." She obeys. I squat and grab her by the hip, posing her, then grab her elbow and raise it. "The other arm doesn't pull the string, just grab it and sustain the arrow. The muscles of the back do the job of pulling. Don't look the arrow or through it, look at your target."

"But how am I gonna know were the arrow is gonna go?" she is confused.

"Your body will know, trust me. Before letting it go, breathe, fully, slowly. As you exhale, let the arrow fly. And never let your eyes faint, always on the target. Now try."

She glares the dartboard and let a minute go. She aims, breathes and shoots. Bullseye.

"FUCKYEAH! HAHAHA. I'm the fucking queen of the arrow!" she cheers. "Did you saw that? That was fucking amazing! Thanks Joel." She hugs me.

"Well yeah, enough." She looks at me with a face of betrayed puppy, but I ignore her. "Now you know how to shoot, the theory is the same for every weapon, with some changes maybe. The difference is that a living target moves. You'll have to anticipate and be ready. Practice some more, I´ll prepare the car and we`ll leave." With that I leave, with proud inside my chest. As I get distance, hear her using the bow an saying: "Yes!"


	3. The plan

I do not own anything of The last of us. **I´ve studied the journey of our favorite survivors and found a web that linked to Google maps with an approximate route. This story is being written to expand the interactions of Joel and Ellie, just for fans, never intended to create something cannon or like that. Because those reasons, I thought I could write two more chapters in the way between Pittsburg and Tommy's place, before beginning the changed David's battle and the apocryphal final plot phase. I apologize if it's getting boring, I apologize if it's not what you expected.**

CHAPTER 3

We didn't say anything after that, just walked outside Pittsburgh radio station, heading west. I never saw a man pointing a gun on his temple before. Never saw a friend committing suicide before. Hell came in a minute and then, two friends dead. This is a cruel world. Maybe the cure is the answer, the final salvation. No one will lose anyone again because a bite. No one will lose the loved one just for an accident: brother, partner or girlfriend. The cure is all the humanity has left.

"Henry was right." Joel mutters.

"What?"

"It was my fault." Doesn't stop walking, his mood is the same as he had when Tess died.

"No it wasn't." Not now please.

"I had the rifle, I was covering you, and I failed."

"Joel, stop." But he keeps walking. "I told you to fucking stop!" He stops and turns to face me. His eyes are obscured with mental fatigue.

"There was nothing you could do. Every bullet you fired took down an enemy. We weren't careful, the gunfire attracted those runners, it was inevitable." Joel doesn't answer, just deviates his stare, not accepting what I'm telling. "I had a gun too, remember? I am as responsible for Sam's luck as you." Then I understand, he is not anxious cause of their deaths, he is worried for the future. He is worried because I could be in the place of Sam right now. I got close, grab his hand, he looks at me and I smile. "We will be fine, we will make it, and the fireflies will make the fucking vaccine. Endure and survive, ok?."

"Yeah, right." Smiles and breathes. "Never thought of being moralized by a kid. You got strong, baby girl."

"I always was." I like playing cool girl character. "Now we should continue, until we find a safe place to stay, before twilight if possible. Let's go." I pull of his hand forward. He smiles and tights the grip on mine.

"You sure are bossy today." We walk following the road. I feel happy, and safe. The deaths of today are just like a bad dream that will never happen again.

_(Days later)_

We've been days walking, she is tired but always happy and asking around. We are also running out of water and food. Have to find somewhere to loot. Autum is near, weather changes, raincoats or something would be good bounty.

We watch silently a biker bar, in the distance, next to it are a couple of road shops, the only buildings that we've found in days. We stop; lend the binoculars to Ellie after taking a look. Put my bag in the ground and take out 2 Molotovs and a nails and spikes bomb. Grab all the ammo I have from my pockets and count it. 4 shotgun shells, 5 rifle rounds, 3 bullets in the revolver's drum, nine on the 9mm pistol magazine and 5 arrows.

"What can you tell about the place?" I ask testing her observation abilities, but I lost my concentration looking at her as she tells me enemy positions.

"There are five fucking runners in the parking place, there's a stalker squatting behind those bins. You thought I wouldn't see you, uh? Bad luck bitch." She is adorable when talks like that, she is so mean, and I'm OK with that. "Oh fuck."

"What's the matter?" She is still watching with the binoculars.

"I see spores, a window is open and when the wind blows the spores are pretty visible."

"Shit." My mask carbon filter got depleted not long ago. "Let me think."

"If there are spores, there will be more inside and at further stages of infection. Fuck." She checks the ammo and the bombs that I dropped in the ground for recount. I look at the sky, it's almost twilight. I sit on the ground, and think. I can't risk my butt with the spores. Can we continue until next set of buildings? Don't believe so. Maybe if we go to the forest might find some animal, no, it's too late for that and dangerous. "Hey, Joel."

"I'm thinking."

"I've got a plan." I look at her annoyed. "Hey! At least you could hear me."

"Ok, tell." I reach the binoculars with my hand and take them back. I watch the scene as she talks.

"Those five runners are static; it's the fucking stalker the troublesome one, too much fungus on him." I corroborate what she is saying. "An arrow won't go through him, and a rifle shoot would get all those motherfucker in alert."

"Yeah, and?" So far that was pretty obvious.

"The key is the weak point of the infected." She looks at me smiling. I raise an eyebrow. "Yes, fire."

"Go on, I hear you."

"If you can make an incendiary arrow and shoot it at the stalker he'll burn, and then scream. That would attract the others, and they'll pass the fire one to the other. With luck and a single arrow we'll take them all out. No shoots, just screams of them. Our position would be safe."

"Mmmhmmm" Has sense, difficult though. "How we got such an arrow?"

"You are the one always crafting those toys, so that's your job, put some creativity on it." It's not that easy.

"I just follow the recipes on the survival guides, not really an expert on those things."

"Come on Joel, I know you can figurate something."

"Well yes, but we would lose a Molotov. What's the plan after the fire arrow? And what's the plan B if the arrow fails?"

"You will put that nails mine on the entrance, take the other Molotov and the shotgun and wait for me at a safety distance from the door. I'll go inside make some noise and get the fuck out of there, then you'll give them hell. And plan B..." She is going to continue but I interrupt.

"Not gonna let you get in there alone, Ellie." She seems frustrated.

"I can do it, just go inside and make some noise, I'll be careful. I promise." I hate when she uses that puppy face, it's difficult to say her no.

"Okay Ellie. You do it quick, not taking risks, am I clear?" She seems happy and celebrating. "Hey! Am I clear?"

"Yes, yes. Sure." She is horrible hiding emotions.

"Ok, let me handle the arrow and the bow. Every weapon I've got has too much kick, but you can handle this." I gave her my nine mm gun. "Take care of it; I've been through a lot with that gun". Her face gets illuminated. I turn around to package all the stuff except for the arrow, the Molotov and some rags.

"Oh, cool. Now I'm a twin gun motherfucker. Look Joel, am I sexy?"

As I look at her, got a chill on the spine. She is on her knees with a gun pushing up one of her almost non existing tits and licking the other gun with lusty face.

"HEY! Stop fucking around! Those are no toys. You are gonna blow yourself something! And don't do that joke again, never. Shit."

"You are a boring man, Joel." She says laughing.

"If Tess would have seen you like that…, she would have smacked you."

"And she would have laugh a lot." I hate when she is right.

"Yeah, probably…" I say not very happy about it. "Here it is." Take the arrow covered by lots of rags.

Ellie helps me to impregnate the arrow with alcohol when we are near enough to use the bow. Load the arrow, take aim; she uses the lighter to light up the projectile and says with what I note is blood thirst:

"Joel, kill it. Kill it with fire." I take a long breathe and let it go. The arrow flies in the dark blue sky like a shooting star. Falls like a promise of death.

"I didn' tell you the plan B." She says suddenly.

"No need for it."

Headshot. The stalker burns much more than expected, and the five remaining runners don't last to get attracted and impregnated by flames.

"Joel, how do you do that? Seriously…"

He stays in front of the bar, at a safety distance, with the shotgun on his back and the last Molotov in the hand, lighter in the other. He is wearing his mask, even though its filter is not functional anymore. I leave the Nails bomb near the door. Silently I get into the bar. There's a lot of spores, the smell is really strong; like rotten things and vinegar, a lot of vinegar. It's a big bar; there are corpses with fungus over them, at my right is a clicker of those who gets rooted to the walls. Those are all dead, I think…

Walking around didn't find any more infected, corpses, but not infected. I see alcohol at the bar, it's almost intact. Canned food at the wardrobes and in the kitchen. I found a bit of .38 ammo, for the revolver. One of the corpses got goggles, they are great, red lenses, a metallic frame an leather head support. They are like no other glasses I had seen. "Jak" was written in the leather. I put then on my head, adjusted them and continue. There are stairs down, but they are totally dark, it's a bit scary. Growls and other weird kinnda sounds can be heard from the entrance of the down stairs, so, this is the spot.

"HEY MOTHERFUCKERS, COME HERE AND BITE ME." The answer was immediate. Screams and sound of feet hitting the wooden floor and the stairs were coming up. I ran run the corridor back to the entrance, looking backward to be sure that they were following me. "COME ON, YOU SON OF A BITCHES"

Then I hit something and I fell on my butt. The fucking wall clicker wasn't dead, he just awake when I shouted. I am lost; They are coming from both sides, shit. I screw it up. Sorry Joel. I try to protect my head even knowing it was futile. Only a tear born in my eye, death by a clicker is too fast for nothing more.

**I apologize if this chapter was shorter, I got somewhere to go and I made it in hurry, so the quality is lower too.**


	4. I'm not leaving you behind

I do not own anything of The last of us. **Last chapter before the David's battle.**

CHAPTER 4

She's delaying. Check the nearby area with a quick look, everything is calm. Not feeling right about this. I hear a shout from her, now she's making noise. A cracked sound came from near behind the door. That couldn't mean anything good. Take out the shotgun, inspire as much as I can and hold it, then ram into the entrance. The door opens with a broken sound when I kick it. The first I see is a clicker almost eating her, but turns what it has got for a face cause of my entrance. Raise my arm and with a single hand holding the weapon, touch its head with the barrel. The recoil fucks my shoulder, but have no time to waste complaining. Without thinking, move apart the headless body and wrap the arm I have left under the armpits of Ellie and drag her out of the near deadly embrace of other incoming clickers. Everything happens too fast. I hear her shooting two guns as I carry her running out of the bar, and when we're almost there throw her outside with all of my might. Then jump outside. The pain in my shoulder, arm and neck is unbearable and my lungs burn but somehow I ignore it. Still cannot breathe, the spores are too close. Pull out my revolver and contain the infected from crossing the door, but three bullets don't do. See the lighter on the ground, light it up and hold it with my mouth. Grab the Molotov, got his rag on fire and throw it. All the monsters turn in flames. My eyes close with pain, but a sound brings me to the fucked reality again. A very specific growl.

Shit. Bloater. With the last air in my lungs I manage to shout:

"Ellie! Get the fuck out of here! RUN!"

I have to pull off the shotgun from my non responding hand, and pump it. Waiting on the ground, aiming.

As soon as the bloater appears I fire. Pump the slide and again, but the bloater doesn't fall. After the third shoot the shotgun goes silent. The bloater approaches, relentless. I can't hold breath for much longer. Guess this is the end, my vision blurs. The last second I hear Ellie:

"Take cover!" Then a shot, followed by an explosion. Something pierced my leg. I see the bloater falling over me, but made it out with the limbs I still got intact. I crawl pathetically away from the bar entrance. Rip out my gasmask and take a long inhale. I toss. The image gets clear again. I stay there, facing the ground, breathing strongly and letting out pain wailings. I feel how she grabs the bow from my bag; hear how she tenses the string, the whistle of an arrow flying, and the sound of a runner dying. Everything gets calm. Her hands touch my back.

"You're ok Joel?" She is very anxious.

"DO I LOOK LIKE OK?" I'm still very nervous. Fuck. I have a very long breath and try to ignore the pain. "Get whatever I have got in the backpack and take a look if the shop next the bar is clean. But this fucking time do not take risks! Shit." She is almost crying, but grabs my revolver and reloads it with don't know what bullets. She leaves my 9mm pistol near and leaves.

Oh, shit shit. I've screw it up. Enter the store. It's very exotic, has statues of red skin men dressed with strange clothes and animal ornaments, like feather, fangs and intricate pendants. The store is almost intact, there's no one neither living nor infected inside. I fall on my knees trembling. Cannot hold tears, he is angry. It's my fault. I, I… I say to myself: just breathe, Check the area well and return to him. In the middle of second check when hear him.

"Ellie! Are you ok?" His voice is tinted with pain.

Don't answer, I return to him. He is on the ground, facing up, with his left hand on the leg. A scissor blade was sunk in his tight.

"Is the shop clear?" I nod. "Then help me moving there, I cannot stand alone. Fuck." I try to help him to stand, but he is too heavy. In the end, he lifts himself with pain and rests his left arm on my shoulder, we walk into the strange shop.

"Ellie, listen." he is breathing strong, but he's calm and clear. "I'm bleeding, but can't fix it. AAGH god." He twists his face in pain. He recovers. "My arm Ellie, my arm is out. I need you to relocate it in its place."

"But I don't know how to do it! Shit. I cannot do it Joel, I just…" My words drown in moans and weeping.

"Ellie! Ellie!" He smacks me. "I need you here now! So clean your eyes and grab the fucking arm from the elbow and the wrist." I obey as he speaks, but I'm scared. "Yeah, good. Now I`ll explain. At the end of the arm is a ball and in the shoulder there is a bone like a cup, you have to join those bones together again, ok?" I nod, but I am not understanding.

"You have to push the elbow upward, and turn the arm out with the other hand, so you fix it. Got it?" His face is sweating; he is in a lot of pain.

"Shit. I don't know Joel."

"Begin now." He orders.

I do what he said; move the arm searching for the joining of the bones. After some minutes of him hanging a horrible pain, I got those bones in their place. Joel breathes with relieve.

"Good girl, now give me the med kit from the backpack." I found it quickly. "Now leave."

"What?" I don't kwon what to think.

"I cannot clean the wound without taking my jeans down Ellie. I can do this alone, now leave." I got angry.

"I don't care what you have under your fucking jeans! Just wanna help you, so shut up."

"Mmmhmmm, ok. But do it quick, and don't wanna hear a joke of this never. You hear?" I nod seriously. He unzips the jeans and pull them down. The blade of a scissor is inside the skin and it's bleeding, not much, but it is. "Good, has touched the muscle, but not much, a clean wound too." I blow with relieve. Without time to lost I cure the wound and then put a bandage over it.

"Done, you shouldn't move for a couple of days. I… I'll go and bring some food and drink." I leave He doesn't say anything.

After an hour I have looted everything the bar had to offer: food, drinks, plenty of ammo, and a couple bottles of alcohol that Joel could use as Molotov. When I return with Joel He is sitting and resting.

We stayed in silence for a while. Then I tell him what I found. When I show him the bottles, he opens his eyes completely and takes one in his hands.

"This is not for crafting, kid. This bourbon is older than me, pay some respect." He turns the capful and drinks directly from the bottle. He twists his face and moans rudely with pleasure. "This is good."

"Can I?" I raise my open hand, but he gestures negatively and grabs harder the bottle. He is angry after all.

"This is mine, you already have that one." He says while relaxing. I look at him with surprise, but he is drinking another shot.

"Aren't you mad at me?" I ask with fear and sadness.

"Why should I?"

"Well, because I screw it up? Cause we could die?"

"It went well, and we're both alive, just little scratches. Worrying about the past not brings you anything. You already know that you commit imprudence, so you learned. I have nothing to add. Aside, you are not going in other place like that and alone never again."

"You saved me again, thank you Joel."

"You did too." He touches his leg. "Fucking bloater didn't wanna fall."

"I got lucky."

"No, you aimed and you hit the nails bomb, that's not luck, that is ability. By the way, I like your new glasses." He drinks again.

"Oh, you like them? They are cool, aren't they?" He knows how to make me smile.

"You just need that dude's hat and you'll be the most imposing warrior" He points to a big long feathers hat that one of the statues carry. I stand up and take it. Then I put on to my head and feel powerful.

"How am I?" he just laughs.

"Oh, yes you are a terrible and imposing… chicken." He doesn't stop laughing.

"Hey! I like it! You jerk." I walk to him and take his bottle from his hand.

"Hey! That's mine; you have the other, give me that back!"

"hu-hu, not gonna happen." Then I take a shot. It taste strong and burns down the throat. "HUAAA."

"Hahahaha." We are here, smiling. It's good to have these moments sometimes. He asks after a while. "Why didn't you leave when I told you?"

"What?"

"Back at the fight, when the bloater appeared, I told you to run. Why did you stay? Back on Pittsburgh, when the ladder broke and you were with Henry and Sam up on the truck. Why didn't you scape with them?"

"I told you. We stay together. I'm not leaving you behind. No matter what."

"Maybe one day I got bitten, and you'll have to." His words bring me bad memories.

"I said no matter what." My voice was to dark and the tone angry.

"I'll drink to that, if you allow me…" He tries to reach the bottle. I have a last shot and then pass to him. I look at him, he does the gesture of a toast and drinks so I drop the punch phrase:

"I noted that you have a huge cock, by the way." He chokes and spits out all the alcohol. He coughs and I just can't stop laughing.

**From now on the story would tell what was promised. Maybe the following chapters are much more conversations and such, and less surviving. **


	5. Rag doll

I do not own anything of The last of us. My warning, this chapter gets a bit rude.

CHAPTER 5

The winter wind blows through the windows. The sound of fire consuming the tables, chairs and walls of wood is the music that involves us. I roll, and see the machete. It's under a table, with that I can terminate this bastard. I crawl, but my body is frozen and my torso hurts too much. My belly gets hit by something. I cannot breath.

"I knew you had a heart". That fucking bastard kicked me. Just have to go little bit more. I have to… "Y'know. It's ok to give up. Ain't no shame in it." The machete is near, I have to get it. "I guess not. Just not your style is it?" This time my ribs cracks, my guts got pounded and air isn't flowing to my lungs.

I feel him over me, he grabs my hair and pushes my skull against the floor and my vision blurs.

"You can try beggin." Even through the pain, that makes me even smile.

"Fuck you." His answer is him rolling me upward, holds me by the neck and tights his grip. The bastard doesn't let me breathe much.

"You think you know me?" You are a pathetic piece of shit. "Huh? Well, let me tell you something" I launch my arm trying to reach the under of the table. "You have no idea of what I'm capable of." Feel the plastic handle, grab it, and slash with it.

He stops it by grabbing my wrist. The next I feel is a punch on the eye. Everything blurs and for a moment I'm not aware of what's happening. He pushes the machete away.

"The girl, the demon girl. Killing dozens of my men, and she is just a kid." He gets near to me when he speaks. I can feel his warm breathe on my skin but its fetid smell overwhelms me and makes me sick. "But sure she is soft after all, and warm." He passes his tongue by my face. The wrath flow for my body and I try to liberate again. I only got hit again and I faint. When I realized, I'm tied up by the hands to a wood bench. My breath rates increases. I don't wanna this. Please, please, Joel save me, please someone."Now we can start"

He licks his lips and pulls my T shirt up. As he touches me, the strength of living leaves my body and I get lost in a place where memories and imagination embraces me. Riley is there. She is smiling, I love when she smiles. We touch our hands, she slips hers along my back, she says I love you. Her eyes, I love those eyes. I feel free and in peace. A smack brings me to reality again.

"No no, you are not gonna do that. You are gonna stay with me. Hahaha. I'm not going to fuck a ragdoll. I want hear you scream." He gives me a brutal pinch on a breast. I scream. I can do nothing but to cry. I wish I would be dead. He starts to pull off his trousers. Drags mine to the knees and I'm exposed. "I'll enjoy this. You'll do too, I prom… ugh!"

He tries to reach his neck, unwrap what is choking him, but he cannot, those fingers are too strong, too furious, and too relentless. When David has lost most of his strength, the iron hands let him go and punches him in the ear, making him fall aside, bleeding his eardrum. A shiv flashes as it's taken out of its sheath because the light of the fire. One hand grabs David's virile parts and the shiv separates them from his owner in a clean movement, beautiful. David screams as his ball and cock bleed away from him, music. Joel rises, and a foot of his goes up, like a hammer, and then falls. The bones are broken, I can see Tibia emerging over the skin. Then he does it again. Femur this time. Then Radius and Ulna, then Humerus. And back again with the other side. The carnival of screams and pleas makes me real happy. Only when Joel kneel and grabs David's neck again, can see his face. His face twisted in hatred, his eyes blood streamed, his breath like an animal, his muscles hard like steel. Joel hangs David in the air with only his hands around his neck. David like a ragdoll cannot do anything, just his face moves. I can see him suffer.

David dies, but Joel doesn't let him go. Something could be heard, a mutter: "It's not enough, not jet." His grip goes tighter than before, so far more that it sounds like leather tearing. The sound gets ruder and ruder and then a broken grave sound. The spine of David is destroyed in the neck.

David's corpse finally finds rest in the floor. Joel Kneels to me. I cannot see his face now because of the game of lights from flames, but I can hear him and his voice: "I'm here baby girl, you are safe. Oh god, forgive me." He Pulls up my pants, cuts my ties, and cleans me the saliva of my torso and face with a clean rag. "Let's get out of here Ellie, I got you."

I scape his embrace and run to the machete. I just slash it as many times I can against this son of a bitch face, even if he's dead. Joel stops me and picks me up in her arms. I babble, cannot talk because of the fear still in my body, Joel carries me and comforts me. I grab his coat as if the world was gonna end, and I bare to say: "What t-the fuck to-took you so lo-long-g?"

"Got a hole in the stomach, couldn't run fast."

"He was going to… he just…"

"It's ok baby girl, no one can hurt you now." I faint, in the arms of Joel.


End file.
